The Phoenix Prophecy

The Phoenix Prophecy

Chapter 2

SECRETS

She awakes to find herself once more in the hospital wing; her arms are bandaged and her chest aches. Madame Pomfrey emerges with a tray of food and some odd looking bottles.

"You must eat all of this and drink this entire bottle," Pomfrey says laying down the tray.

"What happened to my arms?"

Madam Pomfrey turns with a compassionate look, "You blocked the dragon's flames, and saved two students in the process."

The girl remembers the recent events: she had found a way out of the Great Hall, had ended up in the hallway behind the teachers' tables, and encountered the terrifying tapestry beast.

"Is everyone alright?"

"Everything is fine," says Dumbledore as he walks in. She feels relieved and safe, until Cornelius Fudge comes in behind him.

"I am--"

"--Cornelius Fudge, Head of the Ministry of Magic," she interrupts.

Madam Pomfrey conceals a smirk, and Fudge feigns a chuckle.

"Well, you know my name, but what is yours?"

"My name is..." her mind searches again for a trace of her past. She hears a voice, one different from the earlier foreboding tone. It whispers to her: "Athaliah..." She exhales saying her name, eyes widening as if she's discovered some great treasure.

"Well, Athaliah, we have some important questions to ask you," continues Fudge. "Hagrid found you on the edge of the Forbidden Forest. How did you get there?"

"I don't know."

"Very well. When we brought you here to Hogwarts that same night, you had numerous wounds, taken into account by Madam Pomfrey and other members of the faculty who will serve as witnesses if need be. The next day, these wounds were completely healed and even Madam Pomfrey believes that you should have either died or taken at least a week to recover. How do you explain this?"

"I don't know."

A frustrated Fudge starts to pace about the room, "Well, can you explain then why a tapestry dating back over a thousand years gives birth to a dragon when you arrive here? Did you beckon it forth? And we WILL find out as that tapestry is now being sent to the Ministry for a complete examination," Fudge exclaims, red-faced.

Athaliah stares him down coldly, "IF YOU, SIR, ARE IMPLYING THAT I MORTALLY WOUNDED MYSELF TO GET INTO HOGWARTS SO THAT I COULD UNLEASH DESTRUCTION UPON THE STUDENTS AND FACULTY, THEN MY ANSWER IS NO, YOU DUNG-EATING CODSWOLLOP!" The power of her voice knocks him back.

"Athaliah," Dumbledore cuts in, "We are not making such accusations, nor would we in the future. We are all witnesses..." he looks to Fudge (who's composing himself), "to your bravery in containing that beast within the tapestry, and we especially thank you for saving the lives of two of our students." She calms down and looks to Fudge for an apology that will never come.

"Well, we'll deal with this in the morning at the Ministry," Fudge pompously declares as he eyes Athaliah.

"I don't believe she should be taken to the Ministry just yet, Cornelius. I think it would be safer if she stays here, to rest and get her memory back," Dumbledore smiles.

Fudge is crestfallen. "Very well, Albus. But we will take that tapestry. You will be held responsible for this matter whilst she is in your care." Dumbledore nods as Fudge leaves. Athaliah slowly pulls off the bandages as Ron and Harry walk into the room. Much to everyone's amazement, her arms have completely healed.

"What? But you were all burned up," says Ron. Harry elbows Ron to shut up.

"These are the two students you saved, Ron Weasley and Harry Potter," says Dumbledore, motioning to each. She looks at them and gives a faint smile. "Athaliah, it is important that you regain your memories and a sense of normalcy. For this reason, we have decided it best for you to enroll here at Hogwarts. Perhaps we can help you to remember who you are. You will be placed in the same year as Harry and Ron, and you shall be sorted into one of the houses."

Then, he looks intently into her eyes and only she can hear what he says. "You have a great power and it's best that you do not use it unless you need to. You will know when the time is right."

Dumbledore's voice continues, "So, I would advise you to study, make friends and not get into trouble... which may be hard if you keep in the company of these two." He winks and gestures to Harry and Ron. They look down somewhat embarrassed, yet flattered at the same time. Dumbledore leaves and Athaliah knows they didn't hear him mention her great power. She knows something very serious is happening.

"So, thanks for saving us," Ron says as he sits on the bed.

"Yes, thank you, Athaliah," says Harry as he looks intently at her.

"Was I really burned up? And what happened to the beast?"

"Well..." Harry stops just as a girl walks into the room and up to Athaliah, Harry and Ron.

"I'm Hermione Granger. It was amazing what you did back there," she says in a confident tone. "Also, that part about Fudge being a dung-eating codswollop. BRILLIANT! It's not everyday you get to tell off the Head of the Ministry of Magic, and to his face," she grins.

"I WISH I could've done that," Ron moans, realizing he lost another opportunity to do so.

"I'm Athaliah." The two girls shake hands.

"What were you saying, Harry?" Hermione asks.

Harry turns to Athaliah, "Well, the dragon was coming out of the tapestry and spat blue fire. You shielded us, and then it was like you had gathered all the fire it spat at you and threw it back. There was a flash of light and the dragon was gone, back in the tapestry, and you were on the floor passed out and your arms were burned." Athaliah looks at him in shock, not knowing if what she heard had really happened.

"Harry, you're missing something. Tell her about her eyes," Ron says.

Hermione comes closer. "I don't think I've ever seen eyes like yours before. Their color is rather odd, and it feels like you're looking through me," she adds handing her a mirror. Athaliah holds it up and sees herself for the first time: jet-black hair with pale skin and eyes that look like a steel blade.

"But they were also different before, right when you yelled at us to get back. It was like I had seen those eyes before, but I don't know where..." Harry trails off as Madam Pomfrey enters the room.

"Athaliah needs her rest, and so do all of you," she says shooing Harry, Ron and Hermione out of the room. They wave goodbye with Harry the last to leave. He looks back one last time to give Athaliah a half-smile and she does the same.

~~~~~~~~~~

Athaliah awakes rested for the first time. She looks to the windows and sees rays of sunlight pour into the room and onto her bed. It's early morning, and it's the first time she sees day. She holds out her hand, makes a fist in the sunlight, takes the other hand and passes it over her fist; its shadow conceals, and then reveals it. "Day and Night," she thinks to herself.

She has a big week ahead: sorting ceremony and start of classes. She remembers Dumbledore's words of returning to a sense of normalcy and regaining her memories, but his other words about her "great power" and how she would "know when to use it" seemed to contradict any ideas of a normal life. She looks to the foot of the bed, sees some clothes laid out for her, and changes into them. She leaves Madam Pomfrey a note that says she has decided to explore and promises to return. She departs the hospital wing.

Athaliah notices how different the castle looks during the day. The stone walls, which seemed cold and rough last night, are now warm and smooth. She spies windows that she missed earlier; light cascades and illuminates everything. She is especially impressed by the numerous ornate paintings that decorate the walls; the images move and whisper to each other as she passes. She goes to one of the windows and sees in the distance a sort of playing field with students riding on broomsticks, and tossing a ball back and forth. It's amusing and she watches for a little while trying to understand the game they play. She also sees the speck of a stone hut not too far from the castle and just beyond it an immense forest. "That is where they found me, that is the hut I saw, and this is the castle," she recalls.

As she gazes at the forest, she hears a faint voice whisper, "COME... COME... COME...." She feels a sudden rush and desire to go to the forest. She turns around only to find three boys standing behind her. She recognizes them as the three from the other night.

"You make quite an entrance," says the blond boy she recognizes as Draco. Athaliah looks at the three and sizes them up immediately, just as she was able to do with Cornelius Fudge. She could sense the intentions of those around her, whether they are good or bad motives; these three were very unfortunate souls.

"Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle" she says as she looks each boy in the eye.

Crabbe and Goyle are noticeably surprised that she knows their names. Draco, however, keeps his composure and extends his hand. "Malfoy. Draco Malfoy. We haven't been formally introduced."

Athaliah looks down at his hand. "I'm sorry, but if I shake your hand, then I'll have to use all of my ten arms to manage and I'm liable to crush you," she says with a smile. Crabbe stiffens and searches for her other arms as if he had somehow missed them. "And you, am I as ugly as you were hoping me to be?" she asks Goyle.

"No you're not ugly at all. Even Draco said--" Goyle is cut off by a rather forceful shove from Draco, and then looks down embarrassed.

Draco turns, "You've a sharp tongue." He steps in closer to get a better look.

"And you have a foolish one," she says brushing past him.

As Athaliah walks away, Draco yells, "With an attitude like that, you'll most definitely be in Slytherin!"

Slytherin...She remembers that name from one of the tapestries in the hallway. She retraces her steps and finds herself there again. She reads the names once more: "RAVENCLAW, HUFFLEPUFF, and SLYTHERIN." She now understands what Dumbledore meant by houses. She looks over at the last tapestry and reads the banner: "SALAZAR SLYTHERIN AND THE CAPTURING OF THE BASILISK." It shows a wizard on horseback with others following behind and a great serpent in a golden cage. It seemed to depict a hunting party or that it was sport, something which didn't impress her. She looks over to see the bare wall where the fourth tapestry originally hung.

"Fudge and his foolish accusations and threats," Athaliah thinks. She, more than anyone else, wants to discover the answers to the questions of her situation. She looks down and notices some faint burn marks on the floor and what looks like bits of ash. She kneels and runs her finger along the marks, proof that all she had been through really did happen.

A group of young students approaches. When they see Athaliah, they walk quickly past and don't make eye contact. "People are afraid of me," she realizes.

She gets up and follows the sound of voices and laughter to the Great Hall. Athaliah watches from behind the same pillar she hid behind the night before and observes the students eat breakfast. With wide eyes and expressions, the students loudly discuss last night's events.

"Athaliah." She hears a voice and turns to see Harry and Hermione. "Would you like to join us for breakfast?" Harry asks. She senses and hears the nervous and excited chatter behind her.

Athaliah shakes her head. "I think it will cause too much of a spectacle. Everyone is talking about last night and Madam Pomfrey is expecting me back in Hospital, but thank you for inviting me." She turns away and smiles one last time before continuing on. Harry, Hermione and the missing Ron were good souls; she could tell immediately, as if she can see their goodness shining forth. She feels the same way about Dumbledore, but Athaliah thinks that Harry is different.

"Well, we will see you tonight at your sorting ceremony. Hopefully you'll get Gryffindor!" yells Hermione.

Gryffindor...That is the name on the fourth tapestry. "GODRIC GRYFFINDOR DEFEATS THE GREAT EVIL," Athaliah pictures in her head. It seems a nobler thing than capturing some beast for sport, and that impresses her. With that, she remembers the stone hut and the forest. Despite having told Harry and Hermione that she is returning to the hospital wing, Athaliah decides to head towards the Forbidden Forest. She continues to search for an exit until finally she sees a doorway that leads to a courtyard.